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HELP: Engine gone and Subaru won't honour warranty

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Old 14 August 2011, 07:37 PM
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sbarker108
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Default HELP: Engine gone and Subaru won't honour warranty

Evening all

I have a problem which I'm hoping others may be able to offer some advice on, the scenario:

1. I purchased an Imprexa STI PPP 09 from a local dealer based in huddersfield (apparently unmodified other than the PPP and some 330S wheels)
2. The car was using more than usual levels of oil so it's been in an out of the local Subaru garage a few times but they didn't find anything.
3. Engine finally gives up the ghost, so I take it back in to SUbaru and they discover that piston 2 and 4 are damaged and need replacing. They also decide it needs a new short motor (although admitted that it wasn't damaged but hey I thought what the hell its under warranty)
4. Subaru call me to say that the map on the car is non standard and does not match either the standard STI or the Pro-drive map so they aren't going to pay up.
5. I contacted the previous owner and he swears he has had nothing done to it (why would he lie? Seems like a reasonable enough bloke to me).
6. I complain, send in the PPP document and so the gargae decide to send off the ECU to somewhere for verification as to when the last map was done (assuming they can do that?)

My questions are:
1. Anyone had this kind of problem before?
2. Assuming Subaru come back and tell me it's non-standard then knowing that I would never have bought the car in the first place and surely it's been mis-sold to me? Any advice on handling this situation would be appreciated. It would seem I have a case under the Sale of Goods Act but not sure if I should go after Subaru or the gargage I bought it from.

I should add I have no reason to believe the garage deliberately misled me when selling me the car but under the SOGA that doesn't seem to matter.

Any help much appreciated.
Old 14 August 2011, 07:52 PM
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daz1968
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If the map is non standard then only option is to complain to supplying dealer, if car sold as having ppp then surely they are responsible to sort it out, but after you have the info from the ecu you can then go and see them, hope it works out for you.
Old 14 August 2011, 07:55 PM
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SimonD
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Apologies if this is obvious but it is not clear to me whether the garage you bought the car from is a Subaru dealer.
Old 14 August 2011, 08:01 PM
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If they check the ECU they will be able to see the exact date that it was mapped
Old 14 August 2011, 08:16 PM
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sbarker108
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Originally Posted by SimonD
Apologies if this is obvious but it is not clear to me whether the garage you bought the car from is a Subaru dealer.
It was an independant dealer but not one that sells dodgy cars, it has Aston Martins and Ferrari's so I'm hoping high levels of integrity too.
Old 14 August 2011, 08:17 PM
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sbarker108
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Originally Posted by Mollymoo666
If they check the ECU they will be able to see the exact date that it was mapped
This is good, assuming they don't just lie to me so they can avoid paying the warranty. This was why I mentioned going after the Subaru dealer (it wasn't clear in my original post). I could have it independatly checked but of course they could of modified it whilst they had it.

Cant seem to trust anyone these days.

Last edited by sbarker108; 14 August 2011 at 08:19 PM.
Old 14 August 2011, 08:19 PM
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53
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Perhaps it's the dealer fit reflashed map that was supposed to cure the engine popping issue ?
Old 14 August 2011, 08:21 PM
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Old 14 August 2011, 08:22 PM
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sbarker108
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Originally Posted by juggers
Why do people not research the cars before they buy it's amazing how many people are in the same boat as this guy!! Should of gone for a Jap spec with the stronger 2.0l JDM engine.

it's aknown fault with these cars if you contact subaru UK and tell them about the thread in the stick with 100+ cars having engine issues and that you'll be taking them to court am sure they will think again as they won't last a minute in court.
I'll try this. To be honest I was always under the impression that Subaru's where a solidly built car, certainly mechanically. Seems I may have got that wrong.
Old 14 August 2011, 08:22 PM
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Originally Posted by sbarker108
This is good, assuming they don't just lie to me so they can avoid paying the warranty. This was why I mentioned going after the Subaru dealer (it wasn't clear in my original post). I could have it independatly checked but of course they could of modified it whilst they had it.

Cant seem to trust anyone these days.
you can quite easily have it independently checked and for them to fraudulently alter it isnt an easy thing, the ECU will track the changes
Old 14 August 2011, 09:36 PM
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Originally Posted by 53WRX
Perhaps it's the dealer fit reflashed map that was supposed to cure the engine popping issue ?
Doesnt work like that unfortunatly as Subaru uk check back with Japan with the CVN & CID Numbers so even a reflashed PAK file CID & CVN are listed down.

They ask for these numbers prior to any warranty work being carried out.

If I.M say that it's been modded then yes it's been modded not two ways about it.

So the fella who traded it in has been dishonest not the dealer
Old 14 August 2011, 10:07 PM
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Your issue is with the seller, by the sound of it.
Subaru's are solidly built and reliable, providing you buy a proper one.
It would seem you have bought a car which was mis advertised...
Maybe time to revisit the seller
Old 14 August 2011, 11:03 PM
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Originally Posted by sbarker108
I'll try this. To be honest I was always under the impression that Subaru's where a solidly built car, certainly mechanically. Seems I may have got that wrong.
They are solid it's just what the euro emissions enforced on them so they had to produce the 2.5 which has all the issues. The Jap spec car still retains a 2.0l engine however it uses stronger internals and a whole different set up and is capable of a lot more power than the UK 2.0 2.5l.

Subaru's are great cars don't let this event put you offam sure you'll get it sorted.
Old 14 August 2011, 11:20 PM
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I'm not sure the Dealer is to blame if there is a genuine problem..... In my experience Dealers seem to be more than happy to do work under warranty as it's cash flow and keeps everyone in a job.

After all they are guaranteed to get paid for the work that they do.

The Warranty stuff is actually handled by IM / Subaru UK and they hold the purse strings and if they say no then that's that !

Just as Rob84 has posted..

Your contract is with the Seller in the usual Offer to chaffer / treat / consideration SOGA and they are liable for the sale.

They will have to chase the guy who transferred legal title to them for restitution.

Shaun
Old 14 August 2011, 11:41 PM
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daz1968
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Out of interest when it went did you go to the seller first or straight to Subaru dealer, as they may not honour warranty if they have Not been informed first, if you did go to them first and they advised or agreed for you to go to main dealer then you will be in a better position. If they are unaware of you going direct to dealer they may state that their warranty is invalidated, I hope it gets sorted for you though

Last edited by daz1968; 14 August 2011 at 11:44 PM.
Old 15 August 2011, 01:56 PM
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scud8
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Did the dealer that sold it to you state that it was still covered by the Subaru warranty? If they did then you probably have a good case under SOGA - if a remap invalidates the warranty and the remap happened before you bought the car from them then they have materially misrepresented the car (admittedly inadvertantly, but that won't matter).
Old 15 August 2011, 02:15 PM
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urban
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Originally Posted by scud8
Did the dealer that sold it to you state that it was still covered by the Subaru warranty? If they did then you probably have a good case under SOGA - if a remap invalidates the warranty and the remap happened before you bought the car from them then they have materially misrepresented the car (admittedly inadvertantly, but that won't matter).
Yes, but the fact of the matter with regards to Subaru UK remains the same
The car was remapped, so sadly that'll mean no warranty.
Goodwill gesture is your only hope.



Good luck.
Old 16 August 2011, 09:12 AM
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